WAIFEM DG, Baba Musa Elected President, Nigerian Economic Society

•Vows to reposition group, foster research, innovation, others

James Emejo in Abuja

Director General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Dr. Baba Yusuf Musa, has been elected 45th President of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES).

Prior to his election, Musa was the Vice President and Council Member of the NES.

His emergence as president of remained one of the high points of the 66th Annual Conference of the society which was concluded  yesterday in Abuja.

He succeeds Prof. Adeola Adenikinju who bowed out following his two-year tenure.

In his acceptance speech, the new NES president said, “In the coming months, we will embark on collaborative process to develop a new strategic plan for the Nigerian Economic Society.”

He said the plan will be a collective effort that welcomes the invaluable input of the members, the wisdom of the College of Fellows and Past Presidents, and the dedication of the council members.

He noting that the document will serve as the society’s guide, a “compass to reposition us, define our future trajectory, and ensure that our actions are deliberate, impactful, and aligned with our shared vision”.

He said the vision will be anchored on four core pillars forming the bedrock of its work including reclaiming NES’ voice through evidence-based advocacy.

Others include investing for tomorrow – youth and capacity building; data revolution – driving research and innovation as well as collective endeavour – fostering partnerships and collaboration and completing the NES building.

He said, “We will establish a new policy advocacy and engagement committee that will be the bridge between our members’ research and the corridors of power”.

He said, “Let us work together to ensure that the Nigerian Economic Society is not just a society of economists but a society of builders, of innovators, and of patriots. Let us be the voice of reason in a time of uncertainty.

“Let us be the source of light in a time of darkness. Let us be the architects of a new Nigeria, built on the foundations of knowledge, integrity, and shared prosperity”.

The conference which was declared open on Tuesday by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, featured Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who chaired the opening, and Prof. James Robinson, a joint winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics and joint author of the book Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty as one of the speakers.

Musa steps into the position that was once occupied by economic greats including Prof. Ojetunji Aboyade, Chief Philip Asiodu, Dr. Pius Okigbo, Prof. Sam Aluko, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, and Prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo.

Musa remains an internationally acclaimed economist, seasoned public finance expert, and leading authority in sovereign debt management, with an illustrious career spanning over three decades of transformative service across the African continent.